Lenten Devotional

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About Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of women and men for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Student

Certificate Programs

Special Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Church Planting Initiative (monthly), Continuing Education (monthly), World Mission Initiative (monthly), Metro-Urban Institute (quarterly), and Kelso Museum. Alums, there's also one for you!

Lent Devotional February 23, 2018

Scripture

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Devotional

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth J. Woo, Assistant Professor of Church History, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Self-awareness is empowering. This is the lesson the Apostle put before the church at Corinth: Do you not know who you are? The Corinthians are holy, set apart. The point? God is with you and for you. To press this point, Paul makes several lofty claims: “You are God’s temple . . . God’s Spirit dwells in you . . . You belong to Christ . . . All things are yours.” Self-awareness, in this case, meant freedom from attempts to impose identity, priorities, and strategies contrary to God’s mission. It’s freedom to resist. To be different. Why? God is with you.

Self-awareness is empowering, but it’s also dangerous. Because self-deception is easy. Rather than resisting cultural markers of success that separate winners from losers, the Corinthians embraced them. They confused them with God’s power. Similar opportunities for self-deception abound today. “All things are yours”—God is with you—quickly becomes license to seize the levers of political advantage, grasp after wealth and prestige, boast at another’s expense. We trade security in God’s presence for the insecurity of needing to prove God’s presence with us by winning.

Making ourselves great seems prudent enough, but it’s not the gospel. In Christ, God’s power is revealed in setting aside glory, defying expectations. The gospel surprises. It subverts. God doesn’t conform to business as usual. Neither should we. Do not be deceived. In the face of injustice perpetuated by insecurity, resistance requires self-awareness, even self-denial. Dare to defy expectations. How? God is with us, we belong to Christ, God’s Spirit dwells in us.

Prayer

Gracious God, when our eyes—and the eyes of our hearts—deceive us, show us the futility of securing ourselves by ensuring we always side with the winners. Teach us to resist false power, to live differently as those confident in the promise that Christ has sided with us. Amen. 

Lent Devotional February 23, 2018

Scripture

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Devotional

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth J. Woo, Assistant Professor of Church History, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Self-awareness is empowering. This is the lesson the Apostle put before the church at Corinth: Do you not know who you are? The Corinthians are holy, set apart. The point? God is with you and for you. To press this point, Paul makes several lofty claims: “You are God’s temple . . . God’s Spirit dwells in you . . . You belong to Christ . . . All things are yours.” Self-awareness, in this case, meant freedom from attempts to impose identity, priorities, and strategies contrary to God’s mission. It’s freedom to resist. To be different. Why? God is with you.

Self-awareness is empowering, but it’s also dangerous. Because self-deception is easy. Rather than resisting cultural markers of success that separate winners from losers, the Corinthians embraced them. They confused them with God’s power. Similar opportunities for self-deception abound today. “All things are yours”—God is with you—quickly becomes license to seize the levers of political advantage, grasp after wealth and prestige, boast at another’s expense. We trade security in God’s presence for the insecurity of needing to prove God’s presence with us by winning.

Making ourselves great seems prudent enough, but it’s not the gospel. In Christ, God’s power is revealed in setting aside glory, defying expectations. The gospel surprises. It subverts. God doesn’t conform to business as usual. Neither should we. Do not be deceived. In the face of injustice perpetuated by insecurity, resistance requires self-awareness, even self-denial. Dare to defy expectations. How? God is with us, we belong to Christ, God’s Spirit dwells in us.

Prayer

Gracious God, when our eyes—and the eyes of our hearts—deceive us, show us the futility of securing ourselves by ensuring we always side with the winners. Teach us to resist false power, to live differently as those confident in the promise that Christ has sided with us. Amen. 

About Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of women and men for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Student

Certificate Programs

Special Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Church Planting Initiative (monthly), Continuing Education (monthly), World Mission Initiative (monthly), Metro-Urban Institute (quarterly), and Kelso Museum. Alums, there's also one for you!